The Professional Bull Riders, Inc. (PBR) is thrilled to announced the recipients of the 2009 Ring of Honor.  Three-time PBR World Champion – 1994, 2001, & 2006 – Adriano Moraes (Cachoeira Paulista, SP, Brazil); two-time PBR World Champ – 2005 & 2007 – Justin McBride; and PBR’s original “Iron Man,” J.W. Hart (Overbrook, Okla.) will be honored and receive the prestigious “ring.”

The induction ceremony will be held on Friday, May 15, 2009 at the PBR Headquarters in Pueblo, Colo.  It is scheduled during the inaugural Wild, Wild West Fest which is being held in conjunction with the 2009 Ford F-150 Shootout presented by Copenhagen Bull Riding, stop #22 on the elite Built Ford Tough Series (BFTS). 

ADRIANO MORAES
Moraes, a living legend and true ambassador to the sport of bull riding, will forever be remembered as PBR’s first World Champion (1994); first two-time World Champion (2001), and first three-time World Champion (2006).  In his fifteen years riding on the Built Ford Tough Series, Moraes competed in 229 BFTS events, claimed 29 event titles, and collected more than $3 million in career earnings.  A perennial top 10 finisher in the World Standings, he finished only once outside of the top 20 and qualified for the PBR World Finals for a record 14 times.  Moraes currently resides in Texas with his wife, Flavia, and three of four sons.  He can be found at the occasional Built Ford Tough Series event and is still involved in different aspects of the sport of professional bull riding.

JUSTIN MCBRIDE
One of the most decorated bull riders in PBR history, the 2005 and 2007 World Champ crossed the $5 million mark in career earnings in September 2008, making him the richest cowboy in history. In his ten year career, McBride has set an extensive list of records including 32 career event wins; the most money earned in a single season ($1,835,321); and eight single season event wins.  He shocked the world of professional bull riding when he announced his retirement shortly before the start of the 2008 PBR World Finals.  McBride lives in Oklahoma with his wife, Jill, and daughter, Addisen, where he has since been spending his time ranching, raising bucking bulls, and participating in PBR’s TV broadcasts and other sponsor related activities.

J.W. HART
Hart, a PBR fan favorite and PBR’s original “Iron Man,” has an extraordinary resume---1994 Rookie of the Year; 2002 World Finals winner; thirty 90-point rides; six event wins; and 2004 U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Co. Challenger Finals event winner.  Often referred to PBR’s “Iron Man,” Hart set a record when he competed in 197 consecutive events over 9 years.  Hart lives in Oklahoma where he and his wife, Leann, raise bucking bulls and he is often found adding colorful commentary to PBR’s TV broadcasts. 

Created in 1996, the Ring of Honor is more than just a physical ring---it is an elite group of 27 cowboys, soon to be 32.  It recognizes those who have had the most profound impact on bull riding with each inductee receiving a ring handcrafted of diamonds and gold, bearing the PBR logo, the recipient’s name, and the year he was honored. 

For more information on PBR’s 2009 Ring of Honor recipients or the 2009 Wild, Wild West Fest, please visit www.pbrnow.com or contact Katharine Sherrer at katharine@pbrnow.com or 719.242.2800 ext. 3372.

Don’t miss out on any of the action at the 2009 Built Ford Tough World Finals in Las Vegas, Nev.  The world-class event will take place on Oct. 30-Nov 1 and Nov. 5-8 at the Thomas & Mack Center---get your tickets NOW at 866.PBR.SHOW or unlvtickets.com.

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About the PBR:
More than 100 million viewers tune in each year to the PBR on FOX, NBC, ESPN, VERSUS, and on a host of foreign networks across the globe.  With approximately 500 hours of prime time programming annually, PBR ranks among the most prolific sports on air, in addition to attracting over 1.7 million live event attendees each year with it multi-tiered event structure which includes the prestigious Built Ford Tough Series, the Copenhagen Bull Riding Challenger Tour, the Enterprise Rent-A-Car Tour, and the Discovery Tour, designed specifically for entry level contestants.  The PBR is headquartered in Pueblo, Colo., with additional offices in Australia, Brazil, Canada, and Mexico.  The PBR prides itself in its 1,000 plus stock contractor relationships and over 1,200 PBR bull riders competing in more than 300 PBR sanctioned competitions in five countries.